UNIVERSlTI

TEKNOLOGI
PETRONAS

COURSE CDB2013- SEPARATION PROCESS I

DATE 3 MAY 2018 (THURSDAY)
TIME 02.30 PM - 05.30 PM (3 HOURS)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. Answer ALL questions in the Answer Booklet.

2. Begin EACH answer on a new page in the Answer Booklet.
3. Indicate clearly answers that are.cancelled, if any.

4. Where applicable, show clearly steps taken in arriving at the solutions and
indicate ALL assumptions, if any.
5. DO NOT open this Question Booklet until instructed.

Note
i. There are SIX (6) pages in this Question Booklet including the cover
page.
ii. DOUBLE-SIDED Question Booklet.
iii. Graph paper will be provided.

Universfti Teknologi PETRONAS

 COB 2013

1. Methane (CH4) gas is diffusing through non-diffusing helium (He) in a straight

tube of 0.61 m with an inside diameter of 24.4 mm at 298 K and 101.32 kPa.
The partial pressure of CH4 at one point is 14 kPa and at the other point is
1.333 kPa. The diffusivity of CH4 through He is 0.675 cm 2/s. Assume gas
constant, R = 8314.34 m 3 .Pa/kg moi·K.

a. Develop an expression for flux CH4 a~d calculate the rate of CH4
diffusion through the tube.
[8 marks]

b. If both CH4 and He are equimolar counterdifussion,estirnate the rate

of CH4 diffusion.
[8 marks]

c. Compare on the estimated rate of diffusion obtained in part (a) and

part (b). Explain your answer.
[4 marks]

2
 COB 2013

2. a. A volatile organic solvent is used to dissolve chlorine (CI2) gas leaving

a chimney. Assume Cl2 is highly soluble in the solvent. Derive and
simplify the equation using two film theory, to relate the overall solvent
phase mass transfer resistance.
[10 marks]

b. Based on Raoult's Law, prove that the mole fraction, XA of liquid phase
at equilibrium condition is given by the following relationship:

Pr- PjJ
xA.= P*- P.*
A B

where, = total pressure

P.4 =vapour pressure of component A
PjJ = vapour pressure ofcomponent B
[5 marks]

c. Differentiate between equilibrium distillation and differential distillation

operations.
[5 marks]

3
 COB 2013

3. Styrene is produced by catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene followed by

separation of the product by distillation. A distillation column receives an
equimolar mixture of styrene and ethyl benzene at a rate of 120 kg mol/hr. The
purities of the top product (ethylbenzene) and the bottom product (styrene) are
expected to have 98 mol% and 99 mol%, respectively. A partially vaporized
feed mixture containing 60% of vapor is fed into distillation column operates
at 1 atm. The relativevolatility of the system is 2.51.

a. Calculate the flow rate of distillate and bottom stream.

[4 marks]

b. Estimate the minimum number of theoretical stages required for the

distillation.
[4 marks]

c. Estimate the number of theoretical stages and feed-plate location if

the reflux ratio is twice the minimum reflux ratio (Rmin).
[12 marks]

4
 COB 2013

4 a. A tray absorption tower is to be designed to remove 80% of

formaldehyde from a gas mixture stream containing 2 mol%
formaldehyde in air using pure water at 293 K and 101.3 kPa. The
total entering gas mixture flow rate to the tower is 50 kmol/hr, whereas
the pure water enters at a flow rate of 200 mol/hr. The equilibrium
relation for the formaldehyde in the gas-liquid system is YA = 3.6xA,
where YA is the mole fraction of formaldehyde in gas phase and XA is
the mole fraction of formaldehyde in liquid phase.

i. Determine the amount and composition of formaldehyde in the

exit gas.
[6 marks]

ii. Estimate the number of theoretical stages required for the

desired absorption using graphical method.
[6 marks]

iii. Determine the number of theoretical stages using Kremser

analytical equation.
[4 marks]

b. Differentiate the location of operating lines for absorption, stripping;

and minimum liquid flow operations.
[4 marks]

5
 COB 2013

5 a. With the aid of a diagram, describe the process flow of a three stages
cross current liquid-liquid extraction and derive the mass balance
equations for the first stage.
[6 marks]

b. Propose TWO (2) examples of liquid-liquid extraction that are

considered more suitable than distillation process.
[4 marks]

c. A treated ore containing inert solid gangue and copper sulphate

(CuS04) is to be leached in a single stage process extractor using
pure water. A total of 22 wt% of the CuS04 in the inlet ore is to be
leached. Based on the economic analysis, the optimum ratio of the
inlet ore to the solvent was found to be 1:1. The concentration of inert
solid (N) for exit underflow is constant at
2 kg insoluble solid/kg solution. Determine the composition of the
overflow and underflow leaving the process using graphical method.
[1 0 marks]

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